


Off Limits

by whitecrossgirl



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 17:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20474690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitecrossgirl/pseuds/whitecrossgirl
Summary: There was one unspoken rule in regards to siblings and best friends. A best friend's sibling/sibling's best friend was off limits. Except sometimes, some rules just were asking to be broken.





	Off Limits

**Author's Note:**

> So I wanted to put a bit of a spin on the best friend’s sibling AU where instead of Tyrion and Brienne being friends first, she’s friends with Cersei first; Cersei may seem OOC but I’m also trying to do a modern, non-incest, mentally stable version of her. I hope you like it.
> 
> Best Friend’s Sibling AU

On the surface, they seemed like two of the least likely people to get along, never mind become friends. They were total and complete opposites; Cersei was loud, confident and more focused on partying and clubbing rather than her university studies. Brienne was quiet, shy and studious, more interested in pre-reading for the next lecture than pre-drinking for a night out. It seemed like the universe’s cruel idea of a joke; sticking them as the only two girls in a student halls flat with four boys. Outnumbered by two to one; they realised that they had to stick together. As time passed, the two young women managed to get along. They banded together to make sure the boys; Jon, Tormund, Loras and Podrick did their share of the cleaning, taking out trash and dishes. Brienne helped to look after Cersei on the nights she got too drunk to take herself home. Cersei’s tough no-bullshit attitude meant that the bullying Brienne had had to deal with was non-existent. They bonded over hangovers, assignment stress and lazy days watching movies. Both of them had struggled to make friends in the past and still carried pain over losing their mothers at a young age; so having a friend who felt like a true friend was a comfort to them both.

Until Cersei’s brother Jaime came to their university in Kings Landing from his in Riverrun to celebrate their birthday together. After all, there was one cardinal rule between friendship and siblings.

A friend’s sibling was off limits.

Rules were also made to be broken.

“I need you to promise me something,” Cersei said as she curled Brienne’s hair in front of the mirror. They were getting ready to go out that night as part of Cersei’s birthday and Brienne was trying to mix her a drink without moving too much; a talent she had mastered after nearly two months of university.

“Make sure you don’t go home with Euron again?” Brienne suggested with a smile as she set the vodka and lemonade on the dresser. Cersei smirked as she took a drink. Euron had just been her Fresher’s Week fling who still thought he stood a chance with her. It wasn’t her fault that he caught feelings.

“It’s not that, it’s about Jaime.” Cersei said and Brienne shot her a puzzled expression in the mirror.

“What about him?” Brienne asked. She had spoken to Jaime before, when he would FaceTime Cersei but she had only met him for the first time today. He seemed to be likeable enough; fairly similar to Cersei; confident, loud and clearly eager to hit the nightclubs in the Capital.

“Promise me that you won’t flirt with him or get off with him.” Cersei said as she sprayed Brienne with hairspray. “I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but this always used to happen. Girls would claim to be my friend or want to hang out or invite me out; just to try and get close to him. I’m not saying to not speak to him; just, don’t shag him.”

“I wasn’t planning to,” Brienne retorted. She knew that it was one of the sore spots Cersei tried to hide, especially with the bitchy, ice-queen persona she adapted most of the time; the part of her that was insecure, insecure about her looks, her studies, her life; the insecurities predominantly caused from being raised by Tywin Lannister (who by the sounds of it demanded perfection and nothing less from his children.) “I don’t even think he’s my type anyway.”

“The two of you would definitely be good friends; he’s a History nerd like you, plus he listens to Oathkeeper and watches that dumb Clash of Crowns show that you marathon on days off.” Cersei said as she put the curling wand away and picked up her makeup kit.

“Oh no you don’t, I said you could do my hair. Not the make up.” Brienne said; that was where she drew the line. The last time Cersei tried to do her make up, Brienne swore she looked like a drag queen. Cersei pouted before taking another drink and turning back to the mirror.

Brienne’s promise to stay away from Jaime lasted all of five hours. In that time, they had gone to one of their favourite clubs in the city; one that was both close enough to walk to and was cheap enough for students. The music had been incredible and the three of them had spent the night drinking, laughing, dancing and messing about on the dancefloor. By the time it was closing time and the DJ was playing his third final song of the night after being heckled into it by the crowd; Brienne saw Cersei walking out of the door, hand in hand with a Dornish guy Brienne vaguely recognised from the fifth floor of the student halls; leaving her alone with Jaime.

“Where’s she gone?” Jaime yelled in between chants for one more song and bouncers trying to shepherd the crowd out.

“She’s with some lad!” Brienne called back as they squeezed through the crowd onto the street. “He lives in halls too, she’ll be fine.”

After getting some food from a quickly filling chip shop and spending fifteen minutes looking for a taxi; Jaime and Brienne decided to walk back to the halls together. As they walked, the cold air seemed to begin to help sober them up slightly, although Brienne did have to stop Jaime from stumbling into a hedge at least twice before they got back to the student halls. As they walked inside, the unmistakable sounds from Cersei’s room made Jaime groan in frustration and cover his ears.

“Urgh, I did not need to hear that.” Jaime complained before remembering something obvious. “Shit; I was meant to sleep in there tonight.”

“Look, my room’s furthest away from her bedroom. Hers is next to the kitchen and that wall is as thin as paper. You can crash in there if you want.” Brienne offered and Jaime nodded; his hands still clasped over his heads; although it did little to block out the sounds he was hearing.

There were just some things that siblings shouldn’t hear.

“Thanks,” Jaime said as he walked into Brienne’s room and sat at her desk chair. Brienne pulled a bundle from the top of her wardrobe and handed it to him. “What’s this?”

“A sleeping bag,” Brienne said and pointed to the door next to the wardrobe. “There’s a bathroom in there if you need it.”

“Thank you,” Jaime said, quickly darting in and using it. Afterward, he unfurled the sleeping bag and tried to find a comfortable piece of floor. As he did, Jaime glanced around and spotted one of the posters on her wall. “No way, you listen to Oathkeeper too?”

“Yeah, I saw them in concert during the summer. It was amazing.” Brienne said from the bathroom; glad once again, that she had paid extra for the student halls that came with ensuite bathrooms.

“No way, I wanted to go but no one would go with me.” Jaime said. “Sapphire Eyes is like my favourite song.”

“Me too, that and Dreamed of You.” Brienne said as she emerged from the bathroom and Jaime glanced at her in her shortie pyjamas and felt his brain short circuit for a moment. He knew that she was tall but those legs... why had she been wearing tights all night? Finally, his brain re-engaged itself and began to work again.

“Same,” Jaime said, trying not to stare as Brienne lay on her bed and propped herself up by her elbow. “Thanks for letting me stay in here; I could have crashed in the kitchen.”

“Its fine. Like I said, the kitchen wall is stupidly thin and the chairs in there are more uncomfortable than the floor.” Brienne said as she reached behind her and tossed Jaime a pillow. “I take it, this wasn’t how you expected your birthday would end.”

“Crashing on a stranger’s floor? No, not really. No offence.” Jaime said, still trying to not focus on the thin strap that was slipping slightly off of her shoulder. Bad thoughts. Bad (good) sexy thoughts. Brienne was a kind person, his sister’s best friend and he had made a promise.

“None taken.” Brienne said as they heard a door slamming and loud jeering and comments being made. “Hang on a second.”

Jaime watched as she slid off her bed and walked to the door. He could assume by the noises that the rest of her flatmates were home and clearly more drunk than she or Jaime was. However, it seemed that all it took was a few short, sharp words from Brienne and a series of slamming doors had sent them all to their beds. As Brienne shut and locked the door, Jaime smiled at her.

“So you do run this flat?” Jaime teased and Brienne smiled slightly.

“Someone has to.” Brienne replied. “Then again, it’s probably only because I’m the sober one.”

“Me too; I’m not drunk anymore and I’m not even tired anymore.” Jaime said as Brienne switched on some fairy lights and turned off the main light; giving the room a soft glow.

“Are you comfortable down there?” Brienne asked and Jaime smiled.

“I’m fine. Just not tired.” Jaime replied as Brienne reached for her laptop. “What are you doing?”

“If I can’t sleep, I usually put on a movie or Clash of Crowns; it helps me sleep.” Brienne explained as Jaime sat up. Cersei hadn't mentioned that Brienne watched Clash of Crowns; it was his all time favourite show. 

“You watch Clash of Crowns too? Who’s your favourite character?” Jaime asked quickly. “Your answer will decide my judgement of you.”

“Thanks,” Brienne laughed. “It’s either Gwendella or Ser Nikolas and I seriously ship it; so if you prefer Nikolas and Cerena; you can sleep in the hall.”

“Alright this is getting weird. Same taste in music, same favourite TV show, same favourite characters in that show. Are you sure that you’re not actually my twin?” Jaime quipped as Brienne rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure. Do you have an episode preference?” Brienne asked and Jaime shook his head. Reckless confidence made Jaime get out of the sleeping bag and sit up on her bed, draping a blanket around his shoulders as she started the most recent episode she had been up to. As they watched the show, both of them were half paying attention to it; half trying to ignore how they felt for the person sitting on the bed beside them. They had so much in common and had had such a fun night out. It felt like now, they were just trying to put off the inevitable. Both of them could feel the attraction and tension between them but neither was brave enough to do anything about it.

“I forgot that he gives her the sword in this episode,” Jaime said quietly. He had been a firm shipper of the two of them from the start. It was obvious to him that the two characters were either in love or going to fall in love. Even if the majority of the fandom disagreed and claimed that Ser Nikolas was actually in love with Lady Cerena; which was total rubbish.

“They’re so in love. Hopefully in the next season they do something about it.” Brienne added. “I’ve been calling it since the bathtub scene.”

“Call me Nikolas,” Jaime quoted, slumping dramatically over Brienne’s lap; mimicking the end to the famous scene, where a poisoned Ser Nikolas collapses in Gwendella’s arms. Jaime made the mistake of looking up into Brienne’s eyes and swallowed quickly, sitting up straight again. “Sorry,”

“Don’t be,” Brienne replied quietly. The tension slipped again between them. They’d reached the inevitable. “I made a promise.”

“So did I, but to be honest; I didn’t know that we would have so much in common or that I’d like you so much. Because I do like you, a lot. And I know we made a promise but I know how I feel and I can feel this between us and,” Jaime was cut off by Brienne’s hand resting over his.

“I know, I really like you too.” Brienne admitted honestly. She’d never felt this way about anyone before and if she was honest, the fact that Jaime was off limits did add to his appeal. As she was certain she did for him.

“She’ll kill us, won’t she,” Jaime said finally, with an air of someone having accepted his fate.

“Most likely,”

“It would be worth it,”

“Maybe,”

“Let’s find out.” Jaime decided as he kissed her. Brienne hesitated before kissing him back. Brienne broke the kiss and smiled at him, feeling a sudden rush of confidence and recklessness.

“Since we’re already dead, we may as well earn that sentence.” Brienne suggested. Jaime laughed and kissed her again. Harder. Deeper.

If this was how he was to die; in the arms and bed of Brienne Tarth; well, then he would die a happy man.

Cersei smiled proudly at herself as she shut the front door behind the Dornish guy she had brought home. Not a bad conquest, if she said so herself. As she walked into the kitchen, her smile faltered at the sight of the messy kitchen. She had assumed that Jaime would have crashed in the kitchen last night. Cersei turned and walked down the hall to Brienne’s bedroom, deciding to ask her if she had seen Jaime and to have one of their post-night out sharing sessions.

“Have you seen Jai-“ Cersei began but trailed off at the sight of Brienne, wrapped in her dressing gown. However the dressing gown didn’t cover the several love bites that covered her neck and collarbone. Jaime was nowhere to be found in the flat and Brienne was covered in hickeys that she didn’t have the night before. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“Would it help if we said that we were sorry?” Brienne asked as Jaime walked up behind her, shirtless and wrapped his arms around her waist. Cersei looked at the two of them and shook her head with a wry laugh.

“You know what, I’m too hungover for this shit. I’m going back to bed. Do what you like but keep the noise down.” Cersei said finally.

“Why? You didn’t.” Jaime teased as Brienne playfully slapped his arm and Cersei flashed him a dangerous look before flipping him the bird and heading back to her room.

Normally, she would have gone mad at the fact her brother and best friend had broken the promise they had made her but this seemed different. Maybe it was the remnants of Sambuca and tequila she could still feel coursing in her veins but she actually thought there seemed to be more between the two of them than a one night stand. There was something in the way the two of them looked at one another, held onto each other, that seemed different. Clearly what had happened was more than just sex. Maybe it was the beginning of something special.

But Jaime was still going to pay for that last comment.


End file.
